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The plane touched down at 1:14 p.m., and with that came a much-needed new era. Scott Satterfield is the University of Louisville’s new head football coach, and he brings a fresh start — a cliché in most coaching changes and a necessary energy boost in this one.

Satterfield, who agreed to the move Monday night, flew in Tuesday from Appalachian State and gave his introductory press conference at the Brown Williamson Club in Cardinal Stadium. Among his most compelling talking points was that over the past four seasons, his Appalachian State program ranks fifth in the country in wins behind Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma.

He said that was good company, and then he said he would have Louisville there, too.

“You got to believe,” Satterfield said. “That’s been a big slogan of our program, and it’s a daily process. We’re going to get it done.”

Belief in Louisville was scarce at times during a miserable 2-10 season in which almost everything went wrong. Attendance plummeted as the fall wore on. The coaching staff lacked answers with blowout after blowout, and athletic director Vince Tyra fired Bobby Petrino on Nov. 11. The players’ discipline faded during the nine-game losing streak.

Satterfield’s arrival brings an infusion of optimism. He has spent almost his entire life in the state of North Carolina, as a player, assistant coach and head coach at Appalachian State. He has become one of the top coaches at the Group of Five level. He owns three straight Sun Belt championships.

“A lot of players said they’re tired of losing, they want that positive energy back and I think that’s what he’s going to bring," Louisville wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick said. "He’s going to bring that winning spirit back, that positive energy, and that’s what we need.”

Satterfield does not carry the same name recognition as Purdue coach Jeff Brohm, who turned down the Louisville job last week, but as Tyra said, “you have to be cautious about hiring the glitz and glamour of what’s out there.” After Brohm withdrew, Tyra went after his clear next candidate and reached an agreement on a six-year contract paying Satterfield $3.25 million per year.

“I’m comfortable we have the right man that’s sitting behind me,” Tyra said at the press conference. “In this case, the criteria centered around an established leader — as our kids sometimes say, an ‘alpha dog,’ a quarterback.”

Tyra looked for an offensive pedigree, and Satterfield has it. He walked on as a quarterback at Appalachian State in 1991 and later became the team’s starter. He established himself as an innovative offensive mind over 11 years as an assistant coach at Appalachian State. He called the plays for most of that time under Jerry Moore, Appalachian State’s head coach from 1989-2012.

With Satterfield as quarterbacks coach, the Mountaineers moved from a pro-style offense to a spread attack and won three straight national championships.

He succeeded Moore in 2013 and gained the head coach experience Tyra sought. In taking over for an Appalachian State legend, Satterfield took over a team in the Football Championship Subdivision and had the Mountaineers in a bowl game within two seasons. They were 4-8 in 2013 and started 1-5 in 2014. They are 46-11 since then.

U of L athletic director Vince Tyra, left, offers Scott Satterfield a gift during the announement to name him the new U of L head football coach at Cardinal Stadium.
Dec. 4, 2018 Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal

Louisville athletic director Vince Tyra gives new football coach Scott Satterfield a Louisville slugger bat as a welcome present during the new coach's introduction. Satterfield, who coached Appalachian State to one of best FBS records in the past four years, was hired Dec. 4, 2018 to take over the Louisville football program. Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal

Scott Satterfield: "In this world we're living in, there's so much negativity it drives you crazy. There's so much negativity out there. Everybody is doubting you, everybody is downing you. That fuels me. That's going to fuel our football team." Satterfield, who coached Appalachian State to one of best FBS records in the past four years, was hired Dec. 4, 2018 to take over the Louisville football program. Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal

Louisville athletic director Vince Tyra gives new football coach Scott Satterfield a Louisville slugger bat as a welcome present during the new coach's introduction. Satterfield, who coached Appalachian State to one of best FBS records in the past four years, was hired Dec. 4, 2018 to take over the Louisville football program. Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal

Coach Scott Satterfield receives a Louisville Slugger from UofL Athletic Director Vince Tyra as Satterfield is named the new head coach at Louisville on Tuesday evening.
December 4, 2018 Michael Clevenger/Courier Journal

Coach Scott Satterfield receives a Louisville Slugger from UofL Athletic Director Vince Tyra as Satterfield is named the new head coach at Louisville on Tuesday evening.
December 4, 2018 Michael Clevenger/Courier Journal

Appalachian State head football coach Scott Satterfield, left, chats briefly with U of L athletic director Vince Tyra after exiting a private plane in Louisville. Satterfield expects to be named the new head football coach at U of L.
Dec. 4, 2018 Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal

Appalachian State head football coach Scott Satterfield, center, exits a private plane with his family in Louisville where he expects to be named the new head football coach at U of L.
Dec. 4, 2018 Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal

Appalachian State head football coach Scott Satterfield, center, greets people after exiting a private plane with his family in Louisville where he expects to be named the new head football coach at U of L.
Dec. 4, 2018 Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal

Appalachian State head football coach Scott Satterfield, left, waits inside an airport hangar with U of L athletic director Vince Tyra after exiting a private plane in Louisville. Satterfield expects to be named the new head football coach at U of L.
Dec. 4, 2018 Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal

A technician opens a garage door to let an SUV into a hangar to pick up Appalachian State head football coach Scott Satterfield following his arrival in Louisville. Satterfield expects to be named the new head football coach at U of L.
Dec. 4, 2018 Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal

A private plane carrying Appalachian State head football coach Scott Satterfield taxis upon arrival in Louisville. He expects to be named the new head football coach at U of L.
Dec. 4, 2018 Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal

University of Louisville President Neeli Bendapudi, right, conducted the University of Louisville Athletic Association meeting as athletic director Vince Tyra sat next to her before approving Scott Satterfield as the new U of L head football coach at Cardinal Stadium.
Dec. 4, 2018 Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal

Louisville athletic director Vince Tyra gives new football coach Scott Satterfield a Louisville slugger bat as a welcome present during the new coach's introduction. Satterfield, who coached Appalachian State to one of best FBS records in the past four years, was hired Dec. 4, 2018 to take over the Louisville football program. Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal

Scott Satterfield: "In this world we're living in, there's so much negativity it drives you crazy. There's so much negativity out there. Everybody is doubting you, everybody is downing you. That fuels me. That's going to fuel our football team." Satterfield, who coached Appalachian State to one of best FBS records in the past four years, was hired Dec. 4, 2018 to take over the Louisville football program. Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal

Scott Satterfield: "In this world we're living in, there's so much negativity it drives you crazy. There's so much negativity out there. Everybody is doubting you, everybody is downing you. That fuels me. That's going to fuel our football team." Satterfield, who coached Appalachian State to one of best FBS records in the past four years, was hired Dec. 4, 2018 to take over the Louisville football program. Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal

Scott Satterfield: "In this world we're living in, there's so much negativity it drives you crazy. There's so much negativity out there. Everybody is doubting you, everybody is downing you. That fuels me. That's going to fuel our football team." Satterfield, who coached Appalachian State to one of best FBS records in the past four years, was hired Dec. 4, 2018 to take over the Louisville football program. Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal

Satterfield spent much of his time in the introductory press conference focusing on defense, where the Cardinals ranked 128th out of 130 teams with 44.1 points allowed per game in 2018. Satterfield’s Appalachian State team ranks sixth with 15.7 points allowed per game.

Satterfield did not watch much of Louisville this season, considering his schedule. But he saw the crooked scores.

“We recognized the fact that there’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” Satterfield said. “Usually, if you’re going to look for a new head coach, there’s probably some work to be done. So I do recognize that. But I also recognize the potential, and I think the potential outweighed the work that needed to be done.”

Louisville's new coach said he would start Wednesday by going over the roster and recruiting landscape, after which he will have two weeks to put together a class before the start of the early signing period. He said he would bring some coaches from Appalachian State immediately, some after the Mountaineers' bowl game on Dec. 15 and round out the staff with assistants from around the country.

Satterfield, 45, grew up in Hillsborough, North Carolina, near Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh. He showed up for college in Boone where the coaches didn’t know his name. He worked at Appalachian State, then left and came back in 2012.

His enthusiasm was palpable.

“It’s what dreams are made of for me,” Satterfield said. “This is incredible. It proves the point that if you work your tail off and have a great attitude every single day, that your dreams can be met and they will come true. Because I’m living that dream right now at the University of Louisville, and it’s unbelievable.”